


The Lord of the Rings

by anadelonge



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Library, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-17
Updated: 2015-04-17
Packaged: 2018-03-23 10:50:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3765382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anadelonge/pseuds/anadelonge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zlatan is taken by surprise when he goes to the public library to return a book.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Lord of the Rings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).
  * Translation into Русский available: [Властелин колец](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13495874) by [fytbolistka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fytbolistka/pseuds/fytbolistka), [WTF_Ibraxwell_2018](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WTF_Ibraxwell_2018/pseuds/WTF_Ibraxwell_2018)



> The whole plot of this fic was from my great friend Hynkel, I just had to write it (her mind is too precious for this world)  
> And thanks Niv for being the best beta ever <3

The Lord of the Rings. The single-volume edition. That was the big book that was slammed against Maxwell’s desk of the public library he worked for. He hated when people mistreated a book like that, and this time wasn’t different. There was only a desk separating him from the man who had just done it: he was rather a tall man, long hair done in a nice ponytail, and he was using probably the biggest (and fakest) smile he could open with his mouth, managing to show all his quite menacing teeth. Normally Maxwell would feel threatened by such a big guy like him, but that was the last thing he could feel seeing a goofy face like that one.

“Hello, good morning. Can I help you?”

“Hello! Well, I came here to return this book.”

“Alright, I’m gonna check the date to see if everything’s alright.” That simple phrase caused instant fear in Zlatan. Maxwell opened some page in his computer and was ready to type. “So, your name is…?”

“I’m Zlatan, nice to meet you! And you are…?”

“What?” Maxwell furrowed his thick brows.

“You asked my name, now I’m asking yours.”

“Oh.” That was new. It was the first time someone asked his name when he was at work. “Well, I asked it because I needed it to see your status here in the library… anyway, I’m Maxwell.”

“That’s a really pretty name! By the way, you are new here, right? I don’t remember seeing you the last time I came here.”

“Well, it’s been three months since I started working here aaaand it was exactly one day after you came here to rent this book.”  Maxwell said it pointing to the computer screen.

“Oh, what a coincidence!” Zlatan put both his hands on his face as if he was really surprised. “If only I had come here one day after to meet you!”

“Well, you’re meeting me now. And I’m sorry but you were supposed to return this book two months ago.”

“But… come on, have you seen the size of this book? It would be impossible to read it just in one month!”

Maxwell took a look at the book in a sympathetic way, even though he knew exactly how big it was because he had already read it before.

“Yeah, you have a point. Have you liked it at least?”

“Heh.” That psycho smile appeared on Zlatan’s face again, now followed by a light scratch on his head. “You know, I really tried to read it. Everybody loves it _so_ much and I said to myself ‘if even a teenager can read it, Zlatan also can’. But oh my God! I couldn’t understand a word of it! It was so dull I thought I would die of boredom.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for hearing that. That’s bad. I mean, now you have to pay the fee and you didn’t even enjoy reading it.”

Zlatan took a step back. “Wh-what fee?”

“The late fee. Like I said before, you were supposed to return it two months ago.”

“And…. How much is it?”

“Hmm, let me see. It’s $1.50 a day, so...” Maxwell regretted every second of his life for not having paid more attention to his math classes. It wasn’t his fault, though, if the numbers were too complicated and never made any sense in his head.

“Oh my god, that’s $90!” Zlatan yelled as Maxwell was still putting the numbers in his calculator. All the people in there started looking at them and Maxwell started getting desperate fearing his boss could go over there to complain about his work.

“Shhh, this is a library!”

“I’m sorry, I just…” Zlatan’s face slightly changed as he was clearly thinking about something. “You know, I really regret not having rented this book a day after, maybe your handsome face could have motivated me to finish it.”

He couldn’t believe it. Was this man _really_ trying to flirt with him as an attempt to not pay his late fee? It had never happened before so the only thing he could do was to look away and blush.

“Hey, pretty boy, you don’t need to be ashamed. I’m just saying the truth. You’re so cute, I’m pretty sure you have a lot of girls at your feet. Or boys, I don’t know…” Oh no, that weird smile again.

“Er… I really need to come back to work so-“

“You know,” Zlatan just cut in, leaning on Maxwell’s desk “Maybe we should hang out some time. Maybe you could read and explain me some parts of the book! I’m sure your brain is as beautiful as your face and your angelic voice could go through my ears straight to my brain and I could finally understand this book! And since you’re the boss around here you can bring this same volume to our little date.”

“I’m not exactl-“

“Great! It would be really nice if you could give me your number, so I can call you and I tell you where and when we can meet!”

He could understand why the man would use some flirting to not pay his fee, but actually calling him out on a date? Maybe that was a little too far. Or maybe he wasn’t used to being called on a date. It’d been a while since he had gone in an actual date and, well, he recalled it didn’t go so well.

“M-my number?”

“Relax, man, I’m just asking you out, not proposing to you.”

Oh, yeah, great way to calm him down. Even though that man was a little creepy he wasn’t so bad. But still, he couldn’t give his number to a man who couldn’t read at least one chapter of his favorite book. After thinking for about 10 seconds he came up with a better idea.

“Okay, I’ll give it to you. Just make sure you won’t lose it.” Maxwell started writing something in some piece of paper and handed it to the man in front of him. It took him some time writing it, so it probably had some cute message along with the number.

“No, I promise!” Zlatan picked it up from Maxwell’s hands (not forgetting to “accidentally” brushing his fingers against his) and put it in his pocket without opening it. “So, see you soon, pretty boy.”

Zlatan started his path out of the library, giving a last glance and winking at Maxwell, knowing his plan went right. He knew he wasn’t the most handsome man in the world, but if there was one thing Zlatan could do, that thing was flirting. He could win anybody’s heart and that “gift” was useful for when he wanted to run away from something he didn’t like (or to make someone do something he didn’t want to).

But even though he used his gift mostly for his benefit, sometimes he truly liked the person he hit on. The shy guy from the library, Maxwell, seemed like a really nice man. Even though it was just a part of his plan, Zlatan really wanted to go out with him. Maybe he could finally understand that stupid book that his little nephew was freaking out about.  Maybe they wouldn’t even read the book at all.

He didn’t call Maxwell right after he got home because he wanted to wait a little until the librarian left his work. He spent this time thinking about what they could do in their first date. Thinking about where that man would like to go. Thinking about what they could do after that. After all the daydreaming, he at last picked up the little note in his pocket and opened it so he could call him.

 

_Dear stranger,_

_Please do not forget this very important number:_

_$90_


End file.
